A Grace Mugabe ally, who recently returned home from self-imposed exile, has been arrested and arraigned before the Harare magistrate‘s court for allegedly exiting the southern African country unlawfully in November, a report said on Friday.

The former local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere about a week ago after at least six months in exile following a military takeover that resulted in ex-president Robert Mugabe’s ousters last year.

Kasukuwere was allegedly a key member of the G40 faction in the ruling Zanu-PF party that orchestrated the sacking of Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice president in early November.

It was that incident that triggered the army operation that led to former president Mugabe‘s resignation on November 21 and his replacement by Mnangagwa.

The army said it was targeting “criminals” around Mugabe, believed to be G40 members.

According to the state owned , Kasukuwere was picked up by police on Friday on charges of exiting the country unlawfully.

The state broadcaster said that Kasukuwere’s brother Dickson Mafios, was this week sentenced to 11 months in prison with an option of a fine over the same offence.

Mafios had pleaded guilty when he appeared before Bindura magistrate, Vongai Guwuriro on Thursday.

He was “sentenced to six months in jail with an option to pay a fine of $300, while the other five months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years,” the report said.